Always Partners in Time
by JWFritz07
Summary: After Chloe sacrificed herself to save Arcadia Bay, Max has been alone and depressed even with new friends. However, after Max gets transported back to the bathroom where things began, she changes the timeline once again, for better or for worse. (Much Pricefield in later chapters.)
1. Memories Over Tea

**AN: Well it seems that I'm back again, this time with something new. I know, I know. Some of you might've been expecting me to work on the previous story, however I returned to it and simply couldn't find where I was going to go with it and simply lost the drive to work on that one (at least for now. It might return once I get back into writing.) That being said, I'm back and going to try and be better at updating both stories hopefully. In the mean time…**

 **I own nothing from Life is Strange! If I did, things might have ended differently. I guess that I can make things how I want here…**

 _The world lit up in front of her with a quick flash and a loud crack following quickly. She felt her face get peppered with rain drops, causing her to bow her head, close her eyes, and put her hand up in a defensive position against the tiny foes. She pressed on, her wet brunette hair whipping with the strong winds, her feet digging into the mud and propelling her forward, to the top of the hill; towards the lighthouse. She slowly climbed up the muddy path, soaked completely and panting from the effort when she saw_ _ **her**_ _._ _ **She**_ _stood at the edge of the cliff,_ _ **her**_ _arms at her sides, facing the raging sea. The cold girl kept pushing forward and tried to call out to_ _ **her**_ _, but her voice never even made a sound as she continued on towards the other girl. As she got closer,_ _ **she**_ _turned around, her electric blue hair resting perfectly on her head, at least the part that wasn't covered by the beanie_ _ **she**_ _always wore._ _ **Her**_ _clothes were dry, the rain seeming to simply avoid her punk style, as if by even touching her clothing, the rain would get a beating. The girl had reached_ _ **her**_ _and hesitantly tried to stick a hand out to the other girls hand. Just as their skin was about to touch,_ _ **she**_ _stepped forward and off the cliff, headed straight for the ocean. The brunettes voice seemed to return to her in that moment, yelling a single word:_  
 _"Chloe!"_

"Chloe!" Max woke with a start, sweat trailing off her forehead. Her heart banged on her chest, as if trying to break out of a cage it didn't want to be in. Her breathing was heavy and her eyes, misty. She quickly looked around her dark room, her eyes swinging to the alarm clock on the table beside her small bed that read 1:48 AM. Max made a quiet cough that quickly turned into multiple choked sobs as she brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees. She buried her eyes into her knees and sobbed softly, hiccuping for air until there was simply nothing left for her to cry. She let out a shaky breath and curled into the fetal position in bed, sniffling. _God damn it Chloe, why did you make me leave you?_ The broken girl thought as there was a very small and quiet tap on her door. Max sniffled and choked down a sob at the thought of the girl who was her best friend before croaking out a quiet "Come in."  
The door opened a bit as a girl with blond hair peeked in through the opened door, whispering quietly.  
"Max are you okay?" the girl said, walking in and quickly closing the door quietly. Max gave a small hiccup before mumbling, "Kate…why did it have to be Chloe? Couldn't it have been me?"  
Kate walked over and sat down on the edge of the brunettes bed and rested a hand gently on Max's shoulder before whispering, "Max, you know that God always has a plan for everyone, no matter what it may be," the blond squeezed the brunette's shoulder gently, reminding her that she was there, "Max, you were there for me when I was going through hell and you saved my life, literally. I'm always going to do the same for you no matter what Max. That's what f-." Kate stopped herself short, not wanting Max to breakdown again. She carefully maneuvered around the "F" word. "That's…what I'm here for Max. And not just me but Victoria too." She finished, rubbing the other girls arm gently as Max sniffled, closing her eyes tight.  
Kate sighed softly at her friend, gently rubbing her arm as she lay in bed, still in the fetal position. _Well, the only thing left to do is what we always do I suppose_ , thought Kate as she patted her friends shoulder again before whispering, "Max I'll be right back, okay? I'm going to just run back to my room really quick and grab something, that alright?" Max simply sniffled and nodded a tiny bit. Kate gave a small nod before carefully standing up and quietly leaving the brunette's room, leaving the door propped open a bit, the light from the hallway breaching the darkness and casting a bit of light into the room. Max sighed softly as she heard the door across the hall quietly open and squeak as it was closed again.  
A few minutes went by before the door across the hall quietly clicked open and quiet whispering was heard before the door closed again and Kate reappeared in Max's room with a cup and saucer of warm tea. She whispered softly, "Max, is it okay if I turn on a light?" Kate asked, watching Max carefully as if she was studying her worn and battered friend for the first time. Max simply gave a rapid nod before sniffling again. The small light on the bedside table clicked to life, with both Max and Kate having to squint for a moment or two until their eyes adjusted to the now bright room.  
The blond sat on the edge of the brunettes bed and carefully sat her upright, gently putting an arm around her to comfort her friend. Max gave a little hiccup before reaching out for the tea with a shaky hand slowly. Kate carefully reached out and held the cup and saucer for her friend as Max held the handle and cup with both hands, the warmth slowly spreading to her hands. She sighed and took a small sip before setting in back on the saucer, her body being in the present but her mind being years in the past. Kate sighed and hugged her friend gently, whispering,  
"Max, you can always talk to me about things if you need to, both me and Victoria." Max simply gave a small nod in response before mumbling, "Thank you for being there for me, both you and Victoria." Kate simply nodded before hugging her friend again and standing up heading for the door carefully. Kate turned around and looked at Max, whispering,  
"Max?"  
"Yes Kate?" Max murmured, her brown doe eyes looking up at Kate. Kate gave a little smile before whispering,  
"You'd better drink that tea. It'll help you sleep. Just return the cup and saucer to me whenever you can tomorrow." Kate said, slowly backing up to the door and walking out, just her head poking through the opening.  
"Thanks Kate." Max said, returning a little smile before the door closed, returning Max to her state of loneliness. She sighed and looked at the tea. _Well, better drink it up since they'll both be all over me if I don't_ thought Max and she drank the tea, turning off the light and laying in bed, curled up under the covers. Her mind began to slow down as her vision started to get darker, her body becoming heavier with sleep. As she drifted off to sleep, she mumbled one word softly: "Chloe…"


	2. Wake Up Call

**AN: I just wanted to start by saying thank you to those that have favorited this story and for those of you who have followed this story so far. Having said that, I have yet to get a single review for this story yet, so I ask you readers to drop some reviews for me, good or bad, it** **'s all constructive to me as an author to hear back from you guys. With that being said…**

 **I own nothing except the idea.**

 _Previously on_ _Always Partners in Time_ _…_

 _She quickly looked down underneath the stall and saw no feet and saw that the other stalls were closed. With a little sniffle she returned to her sitting position, composing herself for the rest of the day. She stood up and shuffled to the door, reaching for the lock. Her fingers had just wrapped around the handle for the lock when she heard the door burst open and then shut again; followed by the ramblings of a boy in a red leather jacket. Max knew that voice anywhere._

 _It belonged to Nathan Prescott._

Max froze on the spot, her fingers on the lock to the stall door, her eyes growing wider and wider as Nathan rambled in the background. She slowly and quietly backed up, squeezing into a corner of the stall, trying to make herself as small as possible, just in case Nathan decided to check the stalls for whatever reason. She shivered, hearing Nathan ramble on.

" _Well shit. What am I going to do? It's not like I can…"_ Max thought before being interrupted by the door opening again and closing shut, hearing another set of footsteps.

"So what do you want?" Nathan asked, leaning over a sink, staring into, not taking his eyes off of it.

"I hope you checked the perimeter, as my step-ass would say. Now, let's talk bidness." Max's eyes grew wide and misty hearing her friend's voice for the first time in what felt like forever. Max could hear Chloe's footsteps coming closer before Chloe stood by Max's door and pushed on it. Chloe turned and looked at the door, confused as to why it didn't open. The bluenette pauses for a moment before peeking through the gap between the door and the wall before she lets out a soft gasp.

"I got nothin for you." Nathan says, turning around and facing Chloe.

"Wrong. You got hella cash." Chloe says, taking a step forward towards Nathan.

"That's not me, that's my family." Nathan says, taking a step forward of his own.

"Oh boo hoo, poor little rich kid," Chloe says, now leaning on the sink opposite Max's stall. "I know you've been pumpin drugs to kids round here. I bet your respectable family would help me out if I went to them." Chloe is now right up in Nathans face, her voice having an edge.

"Leave them out of this!" Nathan says, his voice rising and getting more aggressive as his hands fly to his sides and ball up into fists.

"I can tell everybody Nathan Prescott is a punk ass who begs like a little girl and talk to himself-" Chloe says, staying right up in Nathans face

Nathan's hand slides into his jacket and pulls out a handgun, pointing it at Chloe, forcing her to back up, her hands up in surrender.

"You don't who who I am, or who the fuck you're messing around with!" Nathan yells, taking a step towards Chloe.

Where'd you get that? What are you doing? Come on, put that thing down!" Chloe says, backing herself up against the left edge of the stall Max is in.

"Don't EVER tell me what to do. I'm so SICK of people trying to control me!" Nathan yells louder.

Max is shaking, knowing what's going to happen next. She shivers from the nerves.

" _I wish I could do something but I don_ _'t want a storm to come back again."_ Max thinks, her adrenaline slowly kicking into action.

"You are going to get in hell more trouble for this than drugs-" Chloe says, the edge in her voice long gone, replaced with fear.

"Nobody would ever even miss your "punk ass" would-" Nathan starts before being cut off with a bathroom stall door right to the face, with Nathan falling to the floor but not before a deafening bang is heard.

Both Chloe and Nathan fall to the floor. Nathan is knocked out, blood pouring from his now broken nose. Chloe, on the floor in the fetal position, her mouth open in shock as blood slowly stains her shirt red, a hole in her shirt to the far left. Another inch and it would've simply grazed her.

The gun sits between the psycho and the punk.

" _Fuck fuck fuck!_ _"_ Max thinks, sliding out quickly from the stall, unknowingly kicking the gun away underneath a sink, crouching down in front of Chloe, a hand on her shoulder gently.

"M-Max?" Chloe says, her voice clearly strained and in pain.

"Chloe…" Max says, her voice choking up as the dam breaks and her tears fall down her cheeks.

"Max…is…is it…really you; or am I dying?" Chloe whispers as she reaches up and gently wipes a few tears away from Max's cheek.

"Chloe," Max croaks, moving her right hand over Chloe's and pressing it to her cheek. "Chloe you're not going to die. You-you're going to be fine." Says the brunette, sniffling as the tears keep falling. Chloe nods before closing her eyes, her head resting gently on the floor. Max looked on in shock, shaking Chloe's shoulder gently in an attempt to wake her.

"Chloe?" Max choked out the words, her voice becoming more choked up as she goes, "Chloe? Chloe!?" She says, still shaking her gently.

Max didn't hear the bathroom door open, nor see David stand in the door way with a look of terror on his face at seeing his step-daughter shot on the floor. She didn't hear David cry for somebody to call an ambulance as a small crowd gathered around the bathroom door. All she can hear is the sound of the gunshot and Chloe falling to the ground.

Max didn't see the paramedics rush in and look over Nathan before carrying him out on a stretcher. She didn't see the paramedics lift Chloe onto a stretcher, nor did she notice that she was walking on one side, holding Chloe's hand while David walked on the other side of the stretcher. She didn't notice anything else other than Chloe until a police officer put a hand on her shoulder and held her back gently; Chloe's hand slipping out of hers, the space quickly becoming cold.

Max didn't hear or notice the police's questions about what happened, but she answered them as if she were on autopilot. Her autopilot didn't shut off until she sat in the hospital.

Her arms around David as they both sobbed for Chloe.

 **AN: Back again. Don** **'t forget, I'm looking for feedback good and/or bad for all chapters. This took a rather dark turn this chapter and I can only think of another chapter (way, way, way down the road that might be on the darker side). In the mean time, thanks for reading and PLEASE LEAVE FEEDBACK! I can't stress this enough!**


	3. Up In Faces

**AN: I just wanted to start by saying thank you to those that have favorited this story and for those of you who have followed this story so far. Having said that, I have yet to get a single review for this story yet, so I ask you readers to drop some reviews for me, good or bad, it** **'s all constructive to me as an author to hear back from you guys. With that being said…**

 **I own nothing except the idea.**

 _Previously on_ _Always Partners in Time_ _…_

 _She quickly looked down underneath the stall and saw no feet and saw that the other stalls were closed. With a little sniffle she returned to her sitting position, composing herself for the rest of the day. She stood up and shuffled to the door, reaching for the lock. Her fingers had just wrapped around the handle for the lock when she heard the door burst open and then shut again; followed by the ramblings of a boy in a red leather jacket. Max knew that voice anywhere._

 _It belonged to Nathan Prescott._

Max froze on the spot, her fingers on the lock to the stall door, her eyes growing wider and wider as Nathan rambled in the background. She slowly and quietly backed up, squeezing into a corner of the stall, trying to make herself as small as possible, just in case Nathan decided to check the stalls for whatever reason. She shivered, hearing Nathan ramble on.

" _Well shit. What am I going to do? It's not like I can…"_ Max thought before being interrupted by the door opening again and closing shut, hearing another set of footsteps.

"So what do you want?" Nathan asked, leaning over a sink, staring into, not taking his eyes off of it.

"I hope you checked the perimeter, as my step-ass would say. Now, let's talk bidness." Max's eyes grew wide and misty hearing her friend's voice for the first time in what felt like forever. Max could hear Chloe's footsteps coming closer before Chloe stood by Max's door and pushed on it. Chloe turned and looked at the door, confused as to why it didn't open. The bluenette pauses for a moment before peeking through the gap between the door and the wall before she lets out a soft gasp.

"I got nothin for you." Nathan says, turning around and facing Chloe.

"Wrong. You got hella cash." Chloe says, taking a step forward towards Nathan.

"That's not me, that's my family." Nathan says, taking a step forward of his own.

"Oh boo hoo, poor little rich kid," Chloe says, now leaning on the sink opposite Max's stall. "I know you've been pumpin drugs to kids round here. I bet your respectable family would help me out if I went to them." Chloe is now right up in Nathans face, her voice having an edge.

"Leave them out of this!" Nathan says, his voice rising and getting more aggressive as his hands fly to his sides and ball up into fists.

"I can tell everybody Nathan Prescott is a punk ass who begs like a little girl and talk to himself-" Chloe says, staying right up in Nathans face

Nathan's hand slides into his jacket and pulls out a handgun, pointing it at Chloe, forcing her to back up, her hands up in surrender.

"You don't who who I am, or who the fuck you're messing around with!" Nathan yells, taking a step towards Chloe.

Where'd you get that? What are you doing? Come on, put that thing down!" Chloe says, backing herself up against the left edge of the stall Max is in.

"Don't EVER tell me what to do. I'm so SICK of people trying to control me!" Nathan yells louder.

Max is shaking, knowing what's going to happen next. She shivers from the nerves.

" _I wish I could do something but I don_ _'t want a storm to come back again."_ Max thinks, her adrenaline slowly kicking into action.

"You are going to get in hell more trouble for this than drugs-" Chloe says, the edge in her voice long gone, replaced with fear.

"Nobody would ever even miss your "punk ass" would-" Nathan starts before being cut off with a bathroom stall door right to the face, with Nathan falling to the floor but not before a deafening bang is heard.

Both Chloe and Nathan fall to the floor. Nathan is knocked out, blood pouring from his now broken nose. Chloe, on the floor in the fetal position, her mouth open in shock as blood slowly stains her shirt red, a hole in her shirt to the far left. Another inch and it would've simply grazed her.

The gun sits between the psycho and the punk.

" _Fuck fuck fuck!_ _"_ Max thinks, sliding out quickly from the stall, unknowingly kicking the gun away underneath a sink, crouching down in front of Chloe, a hand on her shoulder gently.

"M-Max?" Chloe says, her voice clearly strained and in pain.

"Chloe…" Max says, her voice choking up as the dam breaks and her tears fall down her cheeks.

"Max…is…is it…really you; or am I dying?" Chloe whispers as she reaches up and gently wipes a few tears away from Max's cheek.

"Chloe," Max croaks, moving her right hand over Chloe's and pressing it to her cheek. "Chloe you're not going to die. You-you're going to be fine." Says the brunette, sniffling as the tears keep falling. Chloe nods before closing her eyes, her head resting gently on the floor. Max looked on in shock, shaking Chloe's shoulder gently in an attempt to wake her.

"Chloe?" Max choked out the words, her voice becoming more choked up as she goes, "Chloe? Chloe!?" She says, still shaking her gently.

Max didn't hear the bathroom door open, nor see David stand in the door way with a look of terror on his face at seeing his step-daughter shot on the floor. She didn't hear David cry for somebody to call an ambulance as a small crowd gathered around the bathroom door. All she can hear is the sound of the gunshot and Chloe falling to the ground.

Max didn't see the paramedics rush in and look over Nathan before carrying him out on a stretcher. She didn't see the paramedics lift Chloe onto a stretcher, nor did she notice that she was walking on one side, holding Chloe's hand while David walked on the other side of the stretcher. She didn't notice anything else other than Chloe until a police officer put a hand on her shoulder and held her back gently; Chloe's hand slipping out of hers, the space quickly becoming cold.

Max didn't hear or notice the police's questions about what happened, but she answered them as if she were on autopilot. Her autopilot didn't shut off until she sat in the hospital.

Her arms around David as they both sobbed for Chloe.

 **AN: Back again. Don** **'t forget, I'm looking for feedback good and/or bad for all chapters. This took a rather dark turn this chapter and I can only think of another chapter (way, way, way down the road that might be on the darker side). In the mean time, thanks for reading and PLEASE LEAVE FEEDBACK! I can't stress this enough!**


	4. Red

**AN: So, I** **'m kinda surprised by the lack of response I got regarding the previous chapter (or response in general). I expected a lot more…anything towards it, instead everything just quieted down. I'd still like reviews good and bad from everyone and anyone (assuming anyone reads this (or the story for that matter)) having said that…**

 **As usual, I only own the idea, nothing else.**

 _Previously on_ _Always Partners in Time_

 _Max didn_ _'t hear the bathroom door open, nor see David stand in the door way with a look of terror on his face at seeing his step-daughter shot on the floor. She didn't hear David cry for somebody to call an ambulance as a small crowd gathered around the bathroom door. All she can hear is the sound of the gunshot and Chloe falling to the ground._

 _Max didn_ _'t see the paramedics rush in and look over Nathan before carrying him out on a stretcher. She didn't see the paramedics lift Chloe onto a stretcher, nor did she notice that she was walking on one side, holding Chloe's hand while David walked on the other side of the stretcher. She didn't notice anything else other than Chloe until a police officer put a hand on her shoulder and held her back gently; Chloe's hand slipping out of hers, the space quickly becoming cold._

 _Max didn_ _'t hear or notice the police's questions about what happened, but she answered them as if she were on autopilot. Her autopilot didn't shut off until she sat in the hospital._

 _Her arms around David as they both sobbed for Chloe._

Max sat in the dark blue plastic chair, slouched over with her head in her hands. David sat next to Max; his own eyes bloodshot with streaks where tears had once fallen, now replaced by little bits of salt. He had his hand on Max back, a constant reminder that he was there for her, just as she had almost always been there for Chloe.

" _Almost."_ Max thought as she felt a few more tears fall from her eyes down her cheeks. She simply stayed slouched over, her head in her hands until she head footsteps coming towards her. Her head shot up, her bloodshot eyes were looking at Joyce who rushed towards the two of them before sitting on the opposite side of Max. Max simply watched her and as Joyce sat down, Max reached out and hugged her, burying her face into Joyce's apron which smelled of bacon and black coffee. Joyce simply put an arm around Max and sat like a statue, staring at the white wall across from the trio.

Max didn't know how much time had passed since Joyce had arrived but she knew it had been quite some time as salt had accumulated under her eyes. That's when she heard the doors open and then click shut down the corridor a little ways. She heard the footsteps and heard them stop near her. She knew it was the doctor but she only caught bits of the conversation.

"Operated on her…bullet was removed…she's alive and stable…might leave scaring…"

That was all Max heard until all she could hear was the ringing in her ears. She listened but didn't hear any footsteps. She looked up, the brightness of the hospital forcing her to squint. As her vision cleared, she saw that both Joyce and Dave were looking at her, both sets of eyes were now bloodshot and focused on the brunette as Max looked back and forth at the two of them before noticing the doctor in front of the three of them.

"What?" Max muttered, glancing over the doctor rather quickly. He was thin and tan with messy black hair on his head.

"Would you like to see her?" The doctor asked. Max gave a quick nod for before breaking down in tears again.

" _She_ _'s going to be okay Max. She's going to live!"_ Max thought as she felt Joyce's arm rubbing her back gently " _Joyce really is my second mother._ _"_

The four of them made their way down the hall, the same hall that Max and Chloe had walked down to visit Kate in another time-line. The four of them stood outside the room as the doctor nodded and walked back down the way they had came. Joyce and David sat down outside the room, both looking at Max.

"Max, we can't thank you enough for saving Chloe." David said, tears starting to well up in his eyes, "I-I don't know what we'd do without her. We'd be devastated."

" _I know you would be David. After all, you did go kinda crazy with Jefferson when I told you the truth about Chloe._ " Max thought before brushing the thought away.

"I know you both would be and I would be too. I know I didn't keep in touch for the past few years, but I'm always going to be there for her no matter what." Max said, looking between both Joyce and David. Joyce nodded in response.

"I knew you two were special Max," Joyce said, a small smile forming. "Now you go on in and see her."

"I shouldn't, you two should go in. You are her family after all." Max replied, looking between the two.

"Max, you might not have been there for Max these past few years like you said, but I know that you are her only constant in life right now, and if there's one thing that Chloe needs right now, it's something constant to hold on to. You are Chloe's rock Max. Now go in and see her." Joyce said, not taking her eyes off Max the entire time.

" _Joyce, I don_ _'t know how you can make people change in an instant, but I'll have to learn sometime. Learning from the master._ " Max thought before leaning down and hugging both Joyce and David.

/\/\/\/\

The room was exactly the way it was from when she visited Kate in the alternate time-line, with the only difference being that instead of Chloe sitting across the chair, she was laying in the bed, sitting up and looking at Max, her lips curved into a smile.

" _Her lips are so_ _…soft…_ " Max stopped for a moment, " _Come on Max, this is Chloe, you_ _'re best friend! Don't get all lovey with her. You're both just friends, nothing more._ " Max thought, shaking her head and closing her eyes tightly for a minute.

"Max?" Chloe said, watching her friend, the smile now gone, "You okay there Mad Max?"

" _Right back to her old self._ " Max thought as she looked at Chloe again and nodding, "Yeah, just a bit of a headache because of you." The brunette said, sitting in the chair and turning to face Chloe.

"Me?" Chloe said, a look of surprise, as well as a smile,on her face with her hand over her collarbone, "Max was worried about lil ol' me?" Chloe finished, dawning a southern belle accent.

"Of course I was Chloe," Max said, a blush forming on her face, "I saw my best friend get shot, of course I'm going to be worried."

Chloe snickered, "Max, you worry too much about me."

"Chloe, of course I worry about you too much. You-" Max started before stopping. " _Shit. In this time line she has no idea that I can time travel and she has no idea that she almost died so many times in the other time line. What do I do?_ "

"Max?"

Chloe's voice brought Max back down to reality.

"Yeah, what's up?" Max replied in a rather quiet voice.

"Are you…are you okay Max?" The bluenette asked, a tinge of worry in her own voice.

"Chloe, you worry too much, I'm fine, just got lost in thought that's all," Max said, her confidence slowly returning.

Chloe smiled, "And here I am saying that you worry too much."

Max stood from the chair and smiled at seeing Chloe being her normal self. Max walked over to Chloe and gave her a friendly hug.

"Joyce and David are waiting to see you. I'll see you around, okay?" Chloe nodded into Max's shoulder.

"I'll be out of here so we can kick the worlds ass Max. I mean it." Chloe said as they both held the hug a bit longer than friends normally would until Max pulled away. She smiled down at Chloe, " _She really looks good with this lighting,_ " Max thought, " _Damn it Max, she_ _'s simply a friend!_ "

Chloe smiled up at Max and watched her leave. " _When am I going to get around to telling her about how I really feel about her?_ " Chloe thought as the door closed but only stayed that way for a moment until Joyce and David walked in.

 **Questions? Comments? Concerns? Ask away in reviews or PM me if need be! Having said that, I** **'ll hopefully get the next chapter at least mostly written before the start of school again the first week of January but no promises. Hope you enjoyed the story so far and remember: I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK!**


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